Council Tax Support

Council Tax Support is a means tested discount to help people, whether unemployed, working or on a low income, to pay their Council Tax. Any discount awarded will be credited to your Council Tax account, reducing the amount you owe.. To find out more, go to Council Tax Support

Single Persons Discount

A dwelling which only has one resident aged 18 or over is subject to a 25% discount from Council Tax.

Please note that when a discount has been granted, a revised Council Tax bill will be issued (after any necessary adjustments to transitional relief or council tax support which may already have been awarded). Please be advised that you are under a duty in law to notify the Council if there is any change in circumstances giving rise to the discount. To notify us please e-mail mendipcounciltax@secure.co.uk

Please also note that information collected for the administration of Council tax may be used for other Council purposes, provided this complies with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Sole or Main Residence Questionnaire

Except in certain cases, a property which is deemed to be a second home ie not occupied by anyone as their sole or main residence. Please download and complete the questionnaire and send it to Council Tax Department, Mendip District Council, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5BT

If you feel that there are any other factors which may be relevant or which are not fully explained in your answers to the following questions, please give details on a separate sheet.

Once you have submitted your form, the Council will inform you of its decision as to your main residence. If you do not agree with the Council's decision you may appeal against it in writing in the first instance to the Council Tax Manager.by e-mailing mendipcounciltax@secure.capita.co.uk

Empty Properties Discount

A property which is empty and unfurnished may be exempt for a period of up to 6 months and certain properties could be completely exempt even if they are occupied (although special conditions apply). Please complete the on-line form here

If the property remains empty and unoccupied after 6 months and is in need of major repairs or structural alteration, a 75% discount may apply for a maximum of a further 12 months.

Disabled Discount

The person who receives the reduction is the person liable for the dwelling, who need not be the disabled person, and to apply for receive the reduction please complete the on-line form here.

Disregarded Adults

Some people will not be counted when looking at the number of adults resident in a property, provided they meet certain conditions. These people are said to be 'disregarded for discount purposes'. A list of all disregarded adults is below. If you think you fall into any of the categories then you can download a printable version of the relevant form.

Full Time Students/ Student Nurses: to qualify for a discount because a resident of your household is a student this person must be either:

a) enrolled at a prescribed educational establishment, undertaking a qualifying course of education or,b) employed as a foreign language assistant (registered with the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges).

If you think that you may qualify for the discount, please complete the on-line form here

School or College Leavers/ Persons still in receipt of Child Benefit: You may qualify for a discount because a member of your household is aged 18 or 19 and is (or was recently), in full-time further education, or child benefit is paid to you in respect of this person.

Apprentices: You may qualify for a discount because a resident of your household is employed as an apprentice. To qualify, the person must be:

a) employed for the purpose of learning a trade, business, profession, office, employment or vocation;b) undertaking a programme of training leading to a qualification accredited by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications;c) employed at a salary and/or in receipt of an allowance, which in total is:

i. substantially less than he/she would receive if they were qualified; and isii. no more than £195.00 per week.

If you think that you may qualify for the discount, please complete the on-line form here

Hospital Patients/ Patients in Nursing and Care Homes: A discount/exemption may be given if a person is disregarded for Council Tax purposes because:

a) He/she is solely or mainly resident and being cared for in: an NHS (or NHS Trust) hospital a registered residential care home, including those run by the Abbeyfield Society a registered nursing home or mental nursing home a hostel (by reasons of old age, disablement, alcohol or drug dependence, or mental disorder) b) He/she is resident in a bail or probation hostel.

If you think that you may qualify for the discount, please complete the on-line form here

Prisoners: You may qualify for a discount because a member of your household is a person in detention. To qualify, the person must be detained in any of the following categories:

a) Those detained in prison, hospital or any other place by order of a court, except those serving sentences for non-payment of Council Tax or fines.b) Those detained pending deportation under the Immigration Act 1971.c) Those detained under Part II of the Mental Health Act 1983.d) Those detained under the Army Act 1955, the Air Force Act 1955 or the Naval Discipline Act 1957.

Religious communities: You may qualify for a discount because a resident of your household is a member of a religious community.To qualify, the person must be a member of a religious community, the main occupation of which is prayer, contemplation, education or the relief of suffering. The person also must be dependent on the community to provide for his material needs.

Persons who are severely mentally impaired: You may qualify for a discount because a resident of your household is severely mentally impaired.To qualify for this discount, the person must fulfil all the following conditions:-

1. He / She is severely mentally impaired;2. He / She is entitled to at least one of the benefits listed on the attached form;3. He/ She is stated to be severely mentally impaired in a certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner.

If you think that you may qualify for the discount, please complete the on-line form here

Carers: You may qualify for a discount because a member of your household is cared for by a second person resident at the property.The carer will not qualify for discount status if he/she is the spouse or partner of the cared for person, or is a parent caring for a child below the age of 18 years. The cared for person must also be in receipt of one of the benefits listed on the attached form.

If you think that you may qualify for the discount, please complete the on-line form here

Care Workers: You may qualify for a discount because a member of your household is employed as a care worker.The discount may be given where a person is employed in the provision of care and/or support to another person or persons.

To qualify for the discount all the following conditions must be met:a) The employer must be a charity or a public authority, or the person cared for must have been introduced to the carer by a charity.b) The income of the carer must not exceed £30.00 per week.c) The carer must provide care for more than 24 hours per week.d) The carer must reside in the premises in which he/she is employed.

If you think that you may qualify for the discount, please complete the on-line form here

Other disregarded adults include diplomats, spouses of certain students and members of international headquarters and defence organisations.

Annexe Discount

From 1 April 2014 annexes which are used by the occupier of the main house, either as part of the main house, or occupied by a relative of the person living in the main house, will be entitled to a discount of 50% in respect of the council tax payable on the annexe.

The 50% reduction is in addition to any other discount you or your relative may be entitled to. For example, if your adult son is living in the annexe on his own, he will be liable for council tax and be entitled to a 25% single occupier discount, plus a 50% annexe discount.

The criteria for an annexe discount are:

The annexe must form part of a single dwelling, which includes at least one other property.

and either

the annexe is being used by the resident of the main house, as part of their main home,

or

the annexe is lived in by a relative of the person who lives in the main house. For this purpose a relative is defined as: a partner, parent, child, step child, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece ( also includes great grandparent, great grandchild etc).

If you think that you might be entitled to the discount, please complete on-line form here

Claiming the Discount

The person responsible for paying the bill can make the claim. If all but one of the adults in the property fulfil the criteria in any one of the categories listed in the table above, the discount will be applicable, and will be 25%. If all the residents are disregarded the discount will be 50%.

How Long the Discount Lasts

The discount continues for as long as the qualifying criteria are met. You must tell the Council of any change that could affect the discount within 21 days (e-mail mendipcouncilta@secure.capita.co.uk) - if you don't you could incur a penalty. We will write to you regularly to check that your circumstances are still the same. If you haven't previously told us about a change it will be backdated and you will need to make prompt payment of any arrears.

Exemptions

Unoccupied dwellings may be exempt from council tax. The list includes:

Owned by a charity

Newly erected dwelling or one that becomes vacant

Left empty by a person detained elsewhere

Left empty by a person living in a hospital or care home

Owner is the personal representative of a deceased person

Occupation prohibited by law

Held for minister of religion

Left empty by a person needing personal care

Left empty by a person providing personal care

Left unoccupied by a student(s)

Mortgagee in possession

Owner is a bankrupt

Vacated caravan pitches and boat moorings

Unoccupied annexe in an occupied dwelling

Some occupied dwellings may also be exempt from council tax including:

Halls of residence for students

School or college leavers or certain spouses or dependants

UK armed forces accommodation

Occupied only by persons aged under 18

Occupied by the severely mentally impaired

Main residence of someone with diplomatic privilege or immunity

Occupied annexes

Discretionary Council Tax Reduction

The Council has the discretionary power to reduce the Council Tax liability. We can consider requests for assistance on a case by case basis from Council Taxpayers who, through no fault of their own, have experienced a crisis or event that has made their property uninhabitable, e.g. due to fire or flooding, where they remain liable to pay Council Tax and for which they have no recourse for compensation nor have any recourse to any statutory exemptions or discounts.. To find out more, read more in our Discretionary Reduction in Council Tax Policy 2018/19 [769kb].

Some exemptions are time limited and exceptions may apply. This list is a guide only and is not intended to represent a definitive legal position. Please contact the council tax section if you require further information on, telephone 0300 303 8588